Arta's 13th-century walls, erected 10m high by the Byzantine despotate atop ruins of ancient Ambracia, stand on the north side of town. They're perhaps more impressive from the outside than in (just as well, as the gates are not always open). In the 20th century, a government-run Xenia hotel was built in the centre, but it is now a modernist ruin amid overgrown greenery. In the southwest corner, the inner citadel is an outdoor theatre for summer concerts.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
24.83 MILES
This ancient complex is small but comes with a gripping backstory. According to Homer and Herodotus, it was a place to consult with an oracle …
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17.32 MILES
The ruins of Nikopolis, built in 28 BC by Octavian (later Augustus), after he defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra in the naval Battle of Actium (Aktion),…
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28.43 MILES
Set in a wildflower-carpeted valley 21km southwest of Ioannina, Dodoni was the religious capital of the ancient Epirote Alliance. It is most famous for…
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Archaeological Museum of Nikopolis
17.84 MILES
This modern museum brims with the treasures of Nikopolis: Roman marble statuary, mosaics from Byzantine churches and more. Abundant English-language…
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Pavlos Vrellis Wax Museum of Greek History
27.58 MILES
From a purely artistic standpoint, this is a remarkable museum of wax figures that are so uncannily good they transcend kitsch. The sculptor Vrellis, who…
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1.12 MILES
This stone bridge, likely built in the early 1600s, spans the Arahthos River in four elegant arches. (The windows in the pedestals are for water overflow…
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28.68 MILES
Set in beautiful hilltop gardens 3km west of town towards Agios Nikitas, Moni Faneromenis was founded in 1634 and rebuilt following a fire in 1886. The…
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26.37 MILES
Guarding Lefkada at the start of the causeway, 1.4km from town, the Agia Mavra fortress was constructed in the 14th century and later expanded by the…
Nearby Epiros attractions
1. Church of Parigoritissa Byzantine Museum
0.47 MILES
Three storeys plus intricate brick domes, this giant block of a church was established in the 13th century under the Despotate of Epiros. A few centuries…
1.12 MILES
This stone bridge, likely built in the early 1600s, spans the Arahthos River in four elegant arches. (The windows in the pedestals are for water overflow…
1.14 MILES
This museum is a gem: a fine collection, clearly presented, in a manageable space that's seldom busy. It focuses primarily on the ancient city of Ambracia…
1.16 MILES
Set in the former tollhouse of Arta's old bridge, this little museum has a small collection of traditional costumes and tools from the area. It's a nice…
17.32 MILES
The ruins of Nikopolis, built in 28 BC by Octavian (later Augustus), after he defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra in the naval Battle of Actium (Aktion),…
6. Archaeological Museum of Nikopolis
17.84 MILES
This modern museum brims with the treasures of Nikopolis: Roman marble statuary, mosaics from Byzantine churches and more. Abundant English-language…
24.83 MILES
This ancient complex is small but comes with a gripping backstory. According to Homer and Herodotus, it was a place to consult with an oracle …
26.37 MILES
Guarding Lefkada at the start of the causeway, 1.4km from town, the Agia Mavra fortress was constructed in the 14th century and later expanded by the…